American Dreamz

2006
PG-13
1h 47m

IMDb RATING

5.5/10

25K

YOUR RATING

Play trailer2:31

1 Video

83 Photos

Satire Comedy Music

A popular television music talent competition hosted by a pompous egomaniac becomes the setting for an assassination attempt when the President of the United States becomes a celebrity judge... Read allA popular television music talent competition hosted by a pompous egomaniac becomes the setting for an assassination attempt when the President of the United States becomes a celebrity judge in an attempt to rehabilitate his image.A popular television music talent competition hosted by a pompous egomaniac becomes the setting for an assassination attempt when the President of the United States becomes a celebrity judge in an attempt to rehabilitate his image.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.5/10

25K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination total

Trivia
The interior White House scenes were shot on the set of The West Wing (1999).

Goofs
Sally's boyfriend and the production staff look through a dressing room keyhole. The keyhole is to a modern tumbler lock, which can't be seen through.

Quotes
Omer: One and two, three and four, five, hey!
Iqbal Riza: What are you doing?
Omer: Nothing, nothing, I'm just rehearsing some dance steps.
Iqbal Riza: Oh...
Omer: Look Iqbal, I am so sorry...
Iqbal Riza: Stop!I don't want your pity. Does it look like I need pity?
Omer: No, no, no you have far too much dignity.
Iqbal Riza: If these people know nothing about talent there's not much I can do about it, is there? So let's see it. Let's see your dance steps.
Omer: Oh... alright. One and two, three and four.
Iqbal Riza: [Iqbal waves his hand up to Omer for him to stop]
Omer: What?
Iqbal Riza: Oh there's no way you're going to win this thing.
Omer: I know, I fear as much.
Iqbal Riza: [Iqbal sighs and looks him up and down]
[Iqbal takes Omer to his stage]
Iqbal Riza: Get up there, up on the stage.
Omer: Are you sure?
Iqbal Riza: Do it! Before I change my mind. Okay, now this is just a bass track. It's good for practicing moves too.
[Iqbal turns on the stereo]
Omer: Mmm. I don't like this kind of music.
Iqbal Riza: It's just a bass track! It's just for rehearsal!
Omer: Okay...
Iqbal Riza: [Iqbal sighs] Now one problem you have is you move like a reanimated corpse in a zombie movie. Not good, you need to loosen up. Okay, come on, let's go, free form jazz dancing. Right now, immediately.
Omer: Iqbal, why are you helping me? I destroyed your dream.
Iqbal Riza: Yeah, you did, but that was yesterday. Today I turned a page in a new chapter in my life. I'm not sure being a performer was ever what I was really meant for. I'm more of a behind the scenes player, a puppeteer, a svengali if you will. As of today I'm your manager.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert: The Prestige/Flicka/Marie Antoinette/Flags of Our Fathers/A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006)

Soundtracks
Stars and Stripes Forever
Written by John Philip Sousa

User reviews228

Review

Featured review

Underrated Satire

This smart satire about current issues and trends (the Iraq war, reality shows and all that jazz) is one of those sleepers that become cult movies 10 or 20 years after its original release. With an inspired cast that includes Hugh Grant as a cynical, vain TV show host (what were you expectin'?), Dennis Quaid as a dumb president who admires Carmen Electra and needs his chief of staff to think for him all the time (any similarity to real characters is no coincidence), Marcia Gay Harden as the first lady, Willem Dafoe as the chief of staff, and Mandy Moore as a talentless bitch (not even Moore could ruin it - this is, alongside another underrated satire, "Saved!", one of her least crappy performances, perhaps because she's kind of playing herself), and some very quotable lines, the movie tastes like a fast-food Monty Python - witty in spite of all the nonsense. "American Dreamz" may not have a memorable character like, say, Sacha Baron Cohen's "Borat", but it's just as corrosive. Too bad it didn't get the attention it deserved when it came out. Do yourself a favor and go rent it. 7.5/10.